‘We can all play a part in an exciting year’ - new Wymondham mayor Colin Foulger has sights set on fostering relationships between the community and the council

Star Throwers. Pictured: Colin Foulger, Wymondham Town Mayor, and Aimee Kitchen, who donated her pocket money to help the charity.

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Fostering stronger connections between the community of Wymondham and the council might be a challenge after a difficult year, but it is one that is at the top of the list for new town mayor Colin Foulger.

At a council meeting last week the Wymondham stalwart was elected to take over the role from predecessor Dianne Fernee.

With seven years on the council and a stint as mayor in 2010 under his belt, Mr Foulger, who lives on Folly Road, hopes his experience will set him in good stead.

“There is a learning curve that you have to go through. I hope that my previous experience will give me some insight,” he said.

The council saw its relationship with residents dented last year - a controversial plan to sell greenfield site Kings Head Meadow to make way for an Asda supermarket left those living nearby up in arms.

“It has taken a while but slowly but surely that is dissapating and what I would like to be able to do is to try and move the council and the residents closer together.

“I want them to see that at the end of the day, the council does represent the residents and we only should do the best for them,” Mr Foulger said.

The father-of-four added that he “would like to think that we can get some co-operation between councillors and residents”.

Mrs Fernee, who was elected as deputy mayor last week, echoed the message.

“I think the focus should be on working relationshpis in the council. I would like to see everybody working together better.

“Everybody has got to really want it to happen. We are there for the best of the town,” she said.

With Wymondham’s growth firmly under the spotlight and a wealth of planning applications raising questions about the capacity of the town’s facilities, Mr Foulger - who serves as a trustee on the town’s dementia support Pabulum Cafe - takes the reigns at a challenging time.

But, his years of council service showing, retired Mr Foulger insisted that he feels positive - quoting the council’s proposal to spend £175,000 on play equipment last week as the sort of decision he hopes to move towards.

“There’s lots going on in Wymondham at the minute. We can all play a part in an exciting year for the council,” he said.

The next full council meeting will be held on June 3 at Fairland Hall on Fairland Street.

Do you have a story about Wymondham you’d like to tell? Contact local reporter Lauren Cope on lauren.cope@archant.co.uk